Here’s a foolproof formula for writing perfectly developed articles that are neither too long or too short.
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Address your target audience. Select your topic based upon the audience you are trying to reach. Do your research.[/tweet_box]- Create an outline of your topic.
- List five or seven points to support your main idea.
- Write out 3-5 sentences per point so that you now have 5-7 well-developed paragraphs.
- Add your introductory paragraph and conclusion, which should be no longer than 4 sentences each.
- Think up a snazzy title that will be both catchy to your reader and include keywords.
Once you’re finished writing the first draft, go back and read through your article text, checking for grammar, spelling and sentence structure. Yes, you can use autocorrect and spell check for this purpose, but the human eye remains the best way to catch typos and syntax errors in your articles.
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Enhance your article by adding relevant quotes from thought-leaders, statistics, definitions, helpful tools and resources as well as images throughout the article and even your notes.[/tweet_box]
What happens if your web article is too long?
The easiest way to remedy a web article that’s meandering off course into another topic is to divide it in half. If you’ve followed the above formula for outlining the topic and filling in each sentence with details, then it shouldn’t take long to determine which parts of the article have run off the rails.
Simply do a cut and paste of the superfluous sections, and save them for use in a second article that you can link to from the page where you published the first.
Quick tip: A you know, social media has really turned things competitive on the web. So if you have access to some really good images, take the time to post one on the same page as your article. When you share the link to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram or LinkedIn, the image will show up from your site which will in turn, create that extra interest needed to make people click and read.
Here are some helpful Writing Resources:
RefDesk : Run a quick fact-check using the reference materials found on this site.
Wikipedia : a great way to find basic information and find out where to look for additional references.
A.nnotate : is an online annotation, collaboration and indexing system for documents and images, supporting PDF, Word and other document formats..
Zotero : a free, easy-to-use tool to help youcollect, organize, cite, and share research.
